INCLUSION INTERNATIONAL

11/02/2026

We support the International Disability Alliance in their call for accessibility at the United Nations.

Right now, the UN does not have enough money to pay for sign language or captions at upcoming meetings.

This means many people with disabilities, including people with intellectual disabilities, will be left out of the conversation. Accessibility is a requirement, not an extra.

We work with the International Disability Alliance to tell the United Nations that this is wrong. Member states must pay for these services so our voices are heard.

We stand with our partners to make sure these meetings work for everyone.

Status update on accessibility services for the upcoming Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Human Rights Council

Following our public statement last week on the impact of funding shortfalls on access to the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), IDA has sought direct engagement with senior United Nations authorities responsible for human rights and conference management.

In this context, IDA has formally requested prompt intervention and the exploration of solutions to ensure that the minimum accessibility conditions required for the upcoming 34th session of the Committee and for disability-related panels during the 61st session of the Human Rights Council are confirmed in a timely manner.

During an organisational meeting of the 61st session of the Human Rights Council on 9 February, a representative of the UN Office at Geneva’s Division of Conference Management reaffirmed the cash-conservation measures currently in place and reported that no additional funding has been received from Member States. As a result, accessibility services, including international sign interpretation and captioning, remain unconfirmed for the forthcoming CRPD Committee session and related Human Rights Council panels.

Several States, including , , , and , expressed concern at the meeting and sought clarification. Finland emphasised that budgetary measures should not have a disproportionate negative impact on persons with disabilities and experts with disabilities, while Spain stated that the exclusion of persons with disabilities is unacceptable.

While discussions between relevant parties are ongoing, IDA and the wider disability community continue to expect that the necessary accessibility services will be confirmed in time for the forthcoming sessions. Guaranteeing accessibility is essential to the effective functioning of the CRPD Committee and to the meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in Human Rights Council processes.

IDA therefore reiterates its call on States Parties to fulfil their funding obligations and on the relevant UN offices to take the necessary steps to confirm and promptly communicate the availability of accessibility services. Accessibility and reasonable accommodation are not optional measures but binding obligations under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and essential components of the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy.

World Federation of the Deaf Youth Section World Federation of the Deaf Ry World Federation of the Deafblind ASEAN Disability Forum RIADIS World Blind Union Pacific Disability Forum World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry European Disability Forum International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus African Disability Forum - ADF Federation of Hard of Hearing People United Nations Human Rights INCLUSION INTERNATIONAL

09/02/2026

🚀 The Inclusion International Learning Platform is now live!

Our new platform is a space where self-advocates, families, and member organisations can explore resources, access tools, and share experiences from across our global network.

Membership opens the door to this and other shared learning opportunities.

Learn more:

We have launched the Inclusion International Learning Platform! This new platform is an online space where our members can learn together and share what works. It brings together the knowledge, experience, and ideas that already exist across our network. Now, they are in one place. Why shared learni...

03/02/2026

Happening tomorrow! Join our webinar explaining the 2026 CRPD Committee elections.

On Thursday 5 February at 2.00pm UK time, we are hosting a webinar for our members and self-advocates.

We will explain how the CRPD Committee elections work, who the candidates are, and what current UN challenges mean for the Committee’s future.

We will also talk about what this means for future elections and what self-advocates need to know if they want to apply.

This session is for self-advocates, families, and organisations of people with intellectual disabilities.

We will talk about:
• how the election process works
• who the candidates are
• how UN funding challenges affect the Committee
• what this means for future elections

Register here:

Every two years, States Parties elect members to the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. In 2026, nine committee members will be elected or re-elected for the 2027 to 2030 term. In December 2025, the CRPD Committee Secretariat asked States Parties to nominate candidates. The deadli...

30/01/2026

Our blog highlights powerful voices from the World Congress on why inclusive education for children with disabilities must continue during crises.

Featuring work supported by International Disability Alliance & Education Cannot Wait

👉 https://inclusion-international.org/news-item/making-sure-inclusive-education-for-people-with-disabilities-happens-during-crises/

23/01/2026

📚 We’re working with the International Disability Alliance and Education Cannot Wait, alongside our members in Niger & Colombia to make sure children with disabilities are not left out of education in emergencies.

Every child has the right to learn, even in crisis.

You can learn all about the project below:

Inclusion International is working with the International Disability Alliance and our members in Colombia and Niger to make sure children with disabilities are not left out of education in emergencies. This work is funded by Education Cannot Wait (ECW)’s Acceleration Facility, a funding pool desi...

22/01/2026

“Inclusion is not an add-on—it must be the backbone of every education response in emergencies.”
– Asma Maladwala, UNICEF

With Education Cannot Wait and the International Disability Alliance, we launched a tool that helps make this real in crisis settings.

Use it now:

Read this article in español or français. On April 30th, Inclusion International, the International Disability Alliance, ASDOWN Colombia, and FNPH Niger held a webinar to launch the pilot of the Unlocking Inclusive Education in Emergencies learning tool. This practical resource is designed to supp...

20/01/2026

When a crisis happens, children with disabilities are often the first to lose access to education.

At our World Congress in Sharjah, we worked with the International Disability Alliance and Education Cannot Wait to bring together self-advocates, families, and experts to discuss how inclusive education can continue even in emergencies.

Read more about what was shared, including examples from Niger, Colombia, Lebanon, and Burkina Faso here:

Inclusion International recently hosted an important discussion at the World Congress in Sharjah, UAE. This meeting, called “Putting people with disabilities at the heart of inclusive education during emergencies,” brought together self-advocates, family leaders, and experts in inclusive educati...

19/01/2026

Join us for a clear and practical webinar on the 2026 CRPD Committee elections.

On Thursday 5 February, we will explain how the elections work, who the candidates are, and what current UN funding problems mean for the Committee.

We will cover:
• How the election process works
• What challenges the Committee is facing
• What this means for future elections
• What self-advocates need to know if they want to apply one day

🗓 5 February 2026
⏰ 2.00pm UK | 9.00am EST | 3.00pm CET
💻 Online, on Zoom

This webinar is for self-advocates, families, and organisations of people with intellectual disabilities.

You need to register to attend.

Register here! https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/oAv933viSIGcBG6-niqjtw #/registration

09/01/2026

Families from around the world came together in Sharjah to talk about what comes next for our global family movement.

At our Families Summit, more than 90 family members from over 35 countries shared experiences, checked what has changed, and agreed on clear action points.

Our blog shares what families discussed and where the movement is heading, including stronger connections, learning together, and bringing siblings and young families into the work.

Read what came out of the Summit and how families are taking action for inclusion.

What's next for the international family movement? Read the outcomes and next steps from Inclusion International's 2025 Families Summit.

08/01/2026

In a recent interview, our president Sue Swenson spoke about our World Congress in Sharjah and why Inclusion International is stepping up work on complex disabilities.

Stephanie Gotlib also shared why families must be heard in global advocacy.

Inclusion means everyone!

Institute on Community Integration

30/12/2025

Want to strengthen inclusive education in emergencies?

Check out this interactive learning tool that helps humanitarian actors assess inclusion, spot gaps, and build action plans — rooted in the CRPD & IASC Guidelines.

Developed with International Disability Alliance & funded by Education Cannot Wait.
👉 https://inclusion-international.org/resource/inclusive-eie-tool/

This interactive tool supports humanitarian actors to test their knowledge on inclusive education in emergencies and build a plan to strengthen inclusion in their work in emergency situations.

28/12/2025

🌍 Breaking barriers in education emergencies!

Our project with International Disability Alliance & Education Cannot Wait brings organisations of persons with disabilities to the forefront of humanitarian planning in Niger & Colombia.

Children with disabilities deserve quality education in every crisis.
https://inclusion-international.org/news-item/paving-the-way-for-inclusive-education-in-emergencies/